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speer hammock "sweet spot"

I have been having trouble finding the "sweet spot" when I set up my speer---im 6'5" even though my hammock is customized for my height , usually when laying on my side or on my back my lower back ends up aching after a long stay in the hammock (I think because of the way I lay, I think my back ends up kind of twisted) When you guys set up your speer, how much sag do you put in the line-----and do you have any other suggestions? My hammock skills are a work in progress, and I really should have this one nailed by now..............(are there any you tube videos etc that show the proper way tohang a speer?) One more question, when using a peapod, do you hang the hammock differently?

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Steve, I'm 6-4 3/4. What I did was play with the length of the ridgline alot during my initial testing/hanging. I was suprised how much difference a small change in the sag made the hammock lay completely different. I do not have a Speer, so take that with a grain o' salt.

Everybody has their 'spot', all I can recommend is adjust, lay..adjust,lay....until you find YOUR 'sweet spot'. It may take a week to find it, so be patient.

My Speer is more forgiving than my HH was. I hang it with a lot of sag, equivalent to a short ridgeline. Many people change the whipping on the ends to get it right for them. I haven't done that, but if I did, I would try to eliminate the high sides... it is harder to get out than it should be, and it is not as comfy as a lounge chair as it should be, both because of the high sides.

I picked up a used Speer here on the forum and thus far haven't found it to be particularly comfortable. I'm 6'2" and just can't find the sweet spot. Definitely prefer my Hennessy Explorer. Maybe adding a ridgeline would help. Looking forward to seeing the responses here.

Steve, I'm 6-4 3/4. What I did was play with the length of the ridgline alot during my initial testing/hanging. I was suprised how much difference a small change in the sag made the hammock lay completely different. I do not have a Speer, so take that with a grain o' salt.

Everybody has their 'spot', all I can recommend is adjust, lay..adjust,lay....until you find YOUR 'sweet spot'. It may take a week to find it, so be patient.

Ill parrot gargoyle...

I was surprised what difference a 1 inch change in length in the ridgeline made in the comfort of my hammock. I think every hammock should have a RL.

Lots of testing... which means lots of naps... and thats good for the soul.

I have been having trouble finding the "sweet spot" when I set up my speer---im 6'5" even though my hammock is customized for my height , usually when laying on my side or on my back my lower back ends up aching after a long stay in the hammock (I think because of the way I lay, I think my back ends up kind of twisted) When you guys set up your speer, how much sag do you put in the line-----and do you have any other suggestions? My hammock skills are a work in progress, and I really should have this one nailed by now..............(are there any you tube videos etc that show the proper way tohang a speer?) One more question, when using a peapod, do you hang the hammock differently?

I find ONE comfort advantage to the Speer: among gathered end hammocks, it is near the top when it comes to lack of calf pressure with diagonal lie. It is also among the better with a mid-line lie, though not the best due to shoulder room greatly decreasing when I get my feet out to the sides to prevent knee hyper-extension. The shoulders are far more open with a mid-line lay of the Claytor NN. I've always been able to get a comfortable side position in fetal with the Speer, when very diagonal, but that much diagonal makes it hard to use the PPod and some other UQs. Comfortable though. But forget on my side with legs straight, too much side torque. And I am only 6'1". (Speer 8.5)

Originally Posted by MacEntyre

EDIT ........... it is harder to get out than it should be, and it is not as comfy as a lounge chair as it should be, both because of the high sides.

Agree.

Originally Posted by Knotty

I picked up a used Speer here on the forum and thus far haven't found it to be particularly comfortable. I'm 6'2" and just can't find the sweet spot. Definitely prefer my Hennessy Explorer. Maybe adding a ridgeline would help. Looking forward to seeing the responses here.

The Speer has it's strong points, and can be surprisingly comfortable for me, at least in some positions. In some positions, about as comfortable as any and in some ways (center ridge calf pressure) more comfortable than many. But I also can get more comfortable in a wider variety of positions in my HH UL Expl. (Particularly since I had a recent "duh" moment with the HH on which I will start a thread) Plus, with the HH or Claytor, none of those issues with the high sides like MacEntyre mentioned.

Last edited by BillyBob58; 03-15-2010 at 19:34.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us....that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.
Romans 8:18,21-22

As everyone says, this is a personal thing. Here's what has worked for me in my Speer-style hammocks:

1 - Play with the sag...even an inch on the ridgeline can make a huge difference.

2 - Play with how high you hang the feet. Hanging the feet higher than the head moves your torso closer to the head end when you settle...this can give you a LOT more leg room and a much flatter lay.

3 - Use pillows. I put clothing into a stuff sack and put it between my knees when I'm on my side...this relieves a lot of the lower back pressure. I put it under my knees when I'm on my back...same thing. If I have an extra (like a Nalgene bladder), I'll put something under my waist when I'm on my side as well...it helps.

“Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall when the wise are banished from the public councils because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.” ~Judge Joseph Story

2 - Play with how high you hang the feet. Hanging the feet higher than the head moves your torso closer to the head end when you settle...this can give you a LOT more leg room and a much flatter lay.

This sounded a little unconventional to me the first time it was recommended to me since I was always so focused on getting that ridge line level. I also thought that if my feet were higher than my head all the blood would run out of them. Not so. Once I started hanging my foot end slightly higher I noticed a significant increase in comfort. I also found myself waking up closer to the position I went to asleep in vs. sliding down into the fetal position.

I also notice calf pressure on my left leg that will go away when I ensure my shoulders are more to the left of the RL. Anytime I feel uncomfortable pressure on my legs it usually has something to do with my shoulder position which is also unconventional. I don't have a speer brand hammock though so YMMV.

In a hammock, the center of gravity slides towards the lowest spot. In a man, the center of gravity is in our chest. Therefore, it's natural for our chest to gravitate towards the lowest point in the hammock...which ends up crowding our feet into the foot end of the hammock and leaving a huge space over our heads. But hanging the foot end higher means the hammock's lowest point is closer to the head end rather than in the middle...so when you settle your body is actually more centered in the hammock.

Just another part of hammocking where ground dwelling techniques don't exactly apply.

As a side note, this is my 4000th post. I'll catch up to Cannibal someday...

“Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall when the wise are banished from the public councils because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded because they flatter the people, in order to betray them.” ~Judge Joseph Story